JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. -- A private firm is now investigating exactly what caused a Wilson Hospital parking garage to collapse Thursday afternoon.
Structural engineers say a collapse like this isn't something that should sneak up on people.
"Having a failure of this type, leads me to believe it doesn't happen overnight. And there would have been tell tale signs that there was a problem. But, if nobody notices or reports it, the next thing that happens, it falls down,” said John Hagopian, a structural engineer at HE Consultants in Binghamton.
UHS Public Relations officials couldn't say for sure the last time this garage was inspected. But it's something essential to northeast winters that Hagopian said could have played a big role in the collapse.
"It's the salt that's used on the roads. The saltwater from the cars infiltrates into the concrete. Inside the concrete are the reinforcing bars that give the concrete it's strength. These rebars deteriorate because they oxidize,” said Hagopian
Hagopian said there are plenty of signs to spot this damage, but they may not be obvious to the untrained eye.
"When you pull in and you park your car you don't go and look over the edge and look at the floor where it runs into the wall. You would look for signs, water and salt damage. And deflections, a sag where there shouldn't be a sag," said Hagopian.